The existence of fairies has long been dismissed and resigned to the realm of children’s books and Disney films.

However Manchester Metropolitan University lecturer John Hyatt claims he now has proof the creatures are real and are residing in the Rossendale Valley.

And he is on a mission to get more adults to believe and ‘bring a bit of magic into their lives.’

John Hyatt, Director of Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design (MIRIAD) at Manchester Metropolitan University snapped images of what he claims are the tiny winged creatures whilst out photographing the Lancashire landscape over the last two years.